Bat-wielding man fatally shot by Long Island police after beating 2

GREAT NECK, NY — A man swung a baseball bat into two people’s heads before he was fatally shot by police in Great Neck on Monday morning, officials said.

Police fatally shot a man with a bat in Great Neck. (Keith Lopez)

It started as a road rage incident around 10:30 a.m., police said. The attacker was stopped at a stop sign when drivers behind him honked at him to move. He got out of his Volkswagon, baseball bat in hand, and smashed the window of one of the vans behind him.

The driver of that vehicle got out of his van and was hit in the head with the bat, officials said.

Afterward, the bat-wielding man smashed the window of another van, police said. The driver of that van stayed inside the vehicle.

A rookie officer who graduated in February spotted what was happening and shouted at the man to drop his weapon, but the man kept walking toward the officer, bat in hand, police said. The officer used a taser on the attacker, but it didn’t stop him.

A civilian who hadn’t been involved involved at the top sign got involved and he was hit in the head with the bat, police said.

The officer fatally fired at the bat-wielding driver.

No identifying information was immediately available for anyone involved.

Police officials praised the officer involved, saying he following protocol and did an outstanding job.